“What are the kind of things that please you?” Might they be such things as a victory by your favorite team? A kind and thoughtful word from your spouse or children? A gift? A vacation? I’m sure there are many answers to that question. But as you think about that question, let me to ask another one. “What do you think pleases God?” As you think about possible answers to that question, can I share with you what the Bible, itself says pleases God? And it’s probably not what you might think.
Here it is: “Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him…” (Isaiah 53:10). I’m sure most of you know the context of this statement. It has reference to the death of Jesus. It pleased the Lord to “bruise” his own Son? Yes, that’s what the text says. How many of you guessed that? Of course, God did not take pleasure in the actual death of Jesus, but rather in what his death accomplished. This is what Isaiah meant. God loves us so much that it pleased him for Jesus to die in order to secure our reconciliation and salvation.
Think about that the next time you’ve had a bad day and are tempted to think God doesn’t love you. The cross of Jesus forever crushes that notion. God loves you so much that it pleased him to allow his Son to die for you. You are of great value to God. Don’t forget it!